Discharge-door-operating mechanism.



J F. STREIB.

DISCHARGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. I915.

Patented m@.19,1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

Mfg/0% 1. F. STREIB DISCHARGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. I915.

. Patented Dc. 19,1916.

4 SHEETSW-SHEET 2.

(gm-um Mom HW I W WH HM MMWWM WI I H H Hm W WW I anemia J F. STREIB.

DlSCHARGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. 1915.

1.,2Q8fi57. Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- J F. STREIB.

DISCHARGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. I915.

Pai'entvd D00. 15), ISIIII.

4 SHEETS SHEET 4 entree srarnsrnanr orrrcn JOHN F. STREIIB, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PRESSED STEEL CAR COMPANY, 01 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed October 30, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. STREIB, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 739 Taylor avenue, Avalon, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Discharge-Door-Opcrating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway dumping cars and more particularly to that type of car in which the shafts of the door operating mechanisms support the discharge doors in their closed position, and an %ject of the invention is to provide means w ereby a plurality of such shafts may be operated simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby a plurality of dis charge door raising and supporting shafts may be operated simultaneously and at the same time be permitted to move into or out of door supporting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a plurality of discharge door raising and supporting shafts may be simultaneously operated and at the same time be permitted to move in a direction away from each other when the doors are being opened, and toward each other when the doors are being closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a plurality of (115* charge door raising and supporting shafts may be rotatedsimultaneously and at the same time be permitted to move laterally, that is in. a direction transverse of their axes. a

"With the above and other objects inXview, the invention resides in the construction, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of a car embodying the invention, portions of the end of the car being broken away to more clearly show the operating mechanism; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the car taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and A are enlarged cross sectional views taken on the lines 3 3 and 4- respectively of, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of portions of the car showing the mecha nism in position when the discharge doors Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 319, 191MB.

Serial no. 58,894

are open, and Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 66 and 77 respectively of Fig. 5.

There are various types of cars to which the hereinafter described mechanism may be applied, some of which are illustrated in Patent No. 791,348, granted to Charles A. Lindstrom and myself. For illustrative purposes, a car of the hopper type has been shown in the drawings, which has an underframe comprising a center sill 1, bolsters 2, and intermediate transverse members 8, all of whichmay be of any desired construction and suitably connected to gether. ing end floors 4 and side walls 5, which floors and walls are suitably connected together.

At the longitudinal center line of the car the center sill 1 is provided with a longitudinal cone 6, which extends between the sloping floors 4-. The lower edge portions of the longitudinal cone, side walls and sloping floors define a discharge opening on either side of the longitudinal center line of the car, each of which openings may be closed by a door 7, which is preferably hinged along its inner edge portions to bracket members suitably connected with the center sill 1, preferably in such a manner as to prevent any substantial bodily lateral or longitudinal movement of the door.

To operate the discharge doors 7 and for the purpose of supporting such doors in their closed positions, shafts 8 and 9 are provided. These shafts are rotatably and slidably mounted in slots formed in members 10, which are preferably secured to the bolsters 2 and intermediate transverse members 3. To each of these shafts are preferably secured a plurality of spirally grooved drums 11, to each of which one end of a chain 12 is connected, the other end of the chain being connected with the outer or free edge of the door preferably through the medium of a member 13, which is connected to the door. This member 13'is provided with a serrated shoe portion 14, which is preferably wedge shaped and which is adapted to engage with a serrated roller 15 secured on the lifting shaft, which roller may be integral with the spirally grooved drum 11.

16 indicates an operating shaft which is preferably mounted in bearing members 17 and 18 which are secured to suitable mein Thebody of the car comprises slopgrooves or guideways 41 and 42, and lead' bers of the car. This shaft-is preferably provided with a ratchet" 19 with which a locking pawl 20 is adapted to engage. For operating this shaft a lever 21 is preferably provided which may be of any desired form, but which as shown in the drawings is provided with a pawl 22 which is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 19 when it is desired to rotate the shaft 16. If desired the operating lever may be dispensed with and any of the well known mechanisms for permitting the gradual opening of the doors may be substituted. The shaft 16 is also provided with drums 23 and 24 upon whlch chains are adapted to be wound, as hereinafter described. The drum 23 tapers from its greatest diameter at its central portion to its smallest diameter toward each end, and is provided with spiral grooves or chain guideways 25 and 26 which are defined by the spiral ribs 27 and 28 respectlvely. The drum 24 is of substantially the same diameter throughout its length and is provided with spiral grooves or chain guideways 29 and 30, which are defined by'spiral ribs 31 and 32 respectively.

The lifting or door supporting shaft 8 1s provided with drums 33 and 34, and the shaft 9 is provided with drums 35 and 36.

The drums 33 and 35 are each of substantially the same diameter throughout their length and are provided with splral grooves or chain guideways 37 and 38 respectively which are defined by the spiral ribs 39 and 40. The drums 34 and 36 taper from their largest diameter at one end to their smallest diameter at their other end, and are pro vided with spiral grooves or chaln guldeways 41 and 42 respectively, which are defined by the spiral ribs 43 and 44.

For the purpose of operatlvely connecting the .operating shaft 16 with the door lifting or supporting shafts 8 and 9, cha ns 45, 46, 47 and 48 are provided. The chains 45 and 46 are connected .at their inner ends to the opposite end portions of the drum 24 preferably within the grooves or chain guideways 29 and 30 respectively, and preferably at opposite sides of the axis of said drum, and at their outer ends are secured to the drums 34 and 36 preferably within the ing over said-drums. The chains 47 and 48 are connected at their inner ends to the opposite end portions of the drum 23 preferably within the grooves 25 and 26 respectively, and preferably at opposite sides of the axis of said drum, and at their outer ends are secured to the drums 33 and 35 within the grooves 37 and 38 respectively. The chains 45 and 46 are for the purpose of roe tating the shafts 8 and 9 in the directions as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2, 3 and 4,

,while the chains 47 and 48 are for the purpose of rotating these shafts in the opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 6 and 7.

When the doors are in closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the chains 45 and 46 have been wound off the drum 24, and are wound on the drums 34 and 36 respectively, and the chains 47 and 48 are wound on the drum 23 and off the drums 33 and 35 respectively. Assuming the doors to be in closed position, and it is desired to open them, the operator rotates the shaft 16 and the drums 23 and 24 in the direction as indicated by the arrow in Figs. 3 and 4, which causes the chains 45 and 46 to wind on the drum 24 within the grooves or guideways 28 and 30 respectively, thus rotating the its largest diameter at one end to its smallest diameter at its opposite end, and that a greater portion of the chains 45 and 46 will be wound off the drums 34 and 36 than will be wound on the drum 24, thus allowing a certain amount of slack in the chains, which slack is taken up by the shafts as they move horizontally. When the operating shaft is rotated in the direction just described the chains 47 and 48 which are wound upon the drum-23 will be wound ofi such-drum, and

will be wound upon the drums 33 and 35 mounted on the shafts 8 and 9 respectively. It will be noted that the diameter of the drum 23 gradually decreases in diameter from its greatest diameter at its central portion to its smallest diameter toward each end, and that greater portions of the chains 47 and 48 are wound 0d the drum 23 than are wound on the drums 33 and 35 on the shaft -8 and 9 respectively, thus allowing a cer-,

tain amount of slack in the chains, which is taken up b the shafts as they move horizontally. Vhen the doors are in open position, and it is desired to close them, the operator rotates the operating shaft 16 and'the drums 23 and 24in the direction as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 6 and 7, which causes the chains 47 and 48 to be wound on the drum 23 and off the drums 33 and 35, thus turning the shafts 8 and 9 in the directions as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 6 and 7 until the door raising chains 12 one end of each of which is secured to a door winding on the drums 11 have raised the doors to a position'above the shafts, at which time the continued rotation of the shafts 8 and 9 in the directions shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and the resulting winding of the chains 12 therei movement of the doors.

be wound directly on the shaft.

ince t? on cause the shafts 8 and 9 to be drawn horizontally in the slotted bearing members 10 a sufficient distance for the rollers 15 to en gage the, shoes 14 to effect the final closing It will here be noted that the slack in the chains 47 and 48, caused by the horizontal movement of the shafts 8 and 9, will be taken up by the tapering drum 23. While the chains 47 and 48 are being wound upon the drum 23, the chains 45 and 46 are being wound ofi' the drum 24, and on the drums 34 and 36, and the slack of such chains caused by the horizontal movement of the shaft will be taken up by the drums 34 and 36 due to their tapering form, that is to say, .a greater amount of chains 45 and 46 will be wound on the drums 34 and 36 than is wound off the drum 24. It will be understood that if desired the drum 24 may be dispensed with and the inner ends of the chains 45 and 46 may be secured to the operating shaft 16, so that portions of the chains may The drums 33 and 35, may also be dispensed with and the outer ends of the chains 47 and 48 may be secured to the shafts 8 and 9 respectively so.

that portions of the chains may be wound directly on these shafts. The grooves or chain guideways in each of the drums 23 and 24 have been shown leading in opposite directions, but it will be seen that such grooves may lead in the same direction if desired without afiecting the principle of operation of the invention as herein described.

I do not wish to be limited to the doorraising and supporting shafts 8, 9 and 16 extending in a direction longitudinally of the car, for it will be seen that in other types of cars and under other conditions these shafts may extend transversely of the car.

The invention is not limited to the exact shafts being movable intodoor supporting positions when the doors are closed or out of door supporting positions when the doors are opened and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said shaft to said door raising shafts, and means for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

2. in a discharge door operating mecha nism, the combination with? a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of door raising shafts, connections from said shafts to said doors, said shafts being adapted to support said doors in their closed positions and adapted tobe moved out of supporting positions to open said doors and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said shaft to said door raising shafts, and means for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

3. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, shafts arranged to support the doors when the doors are raised and arranged to move to a non-supporting position when the doors are opened, connections between the shafts and the doors and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said shaft to said door raising shafts, and'means for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

4. In a discharge door operatingmecha nism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, a plurality of door raising shafts, connections therefrom to the doors, said shafts being. movable into supporting positions when the doors are raised and out of supporting positions when the doors are being opened, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means compris ing an operating shaft, connections from said shaft to said door raising shafts, and

means for autom atically adjusting the efiective lengths of said connections.

5. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of shafts operatively connectedwith said doors, engaging means between said doors and said shafts for causing said shafts to move laterally into and out of supporting positions with said doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously.

6. in a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with apluralityof discharge doors, of a plurality of door raising shafts movable into and out of support ing positions with said doors, an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said'doo-r raising shafts'for rotating said shafts, and means between said connections and shafts for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

7. lo a discharge door operating mechanism, a plurality of discharge door raising and supporting shafts, means for causing said shafts to move bodily into and out of i. I

engagement with said doors, and means for rotating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said door raising and supporting shafts,

means between said shafts and connections for adjusting the eflective lengths of said connections.

8. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections. a I 9. In adischarge'door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors hinged near the longitudinal center line of the car, a plurality 'of rotatable and bodily movable shafts for raising and supporting said doors, and .means for operating'said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said rotatable and bodily movable shafts, and means for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

10. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, a plurality of door raising shafts arranged to move into or out of door supporting positions, connections ff'om said shafts to said-doors, an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said door raising shafts for rotating said door raising shafts, and means cooperating with said connections adapted to automatically adjust the effective lengths of said connections.

11. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with aplurality of discharge doors,'a plurality of door raising shafts arranged to move into or out of door supporting positions, a plurality of drums on said shafts, an operating shaft, a plurality of drums on said shaft, connections from the drums on said operating shaft to the drums on said door raising shafts for rotating said door raising shafts, one of the drums on each of said shafts being so constructed-that when rotated greater portions of said connections may be wound on or ofl' of said drums than is wound on or off of another of said drums to permit said door raising shafts to move into or out of door supporting positions.

12. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors hinged near the longitudinal center line of the car, a plurality of shafts for raising and supporting said doors, said shafts being movable in a direction toward or away from the longitudinal center line shafts simultaneously.

18. In a discharge door operating mechmoans? of the car and into and out of engagement with said doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means combetween said shafts and said doors for causing said shafts to move into or out of door supporting positions when the shafts are rotated, and means for rotating said shafts simultaneously.

14. In a discharge door operating mechanism, a plurality of rotatable and bodily movable door raising shafts, flexible connections from said shafts to said doors, said flexible connections when the shafts are ro- I tated causing said shafts to movev toward door supporting positions when the doors are being'closed, and means for rotating said shafts simultaneously.

15. In a dumping car, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of door operating shafts adapted to be in'engagement with the doors when closed and out of engagement with the doors when open, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said operatingto said door operating shafts, and means for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

16. In a dumping car, the'combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality ofdoor operating shafts adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comtherefrom to said door operating shafts,

. prising an operating shaft, connectionsand means for adjusting the eflective lengths of said connections. v

17. In a discharge door operating-mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of rotatable shafts for raising and supporting said doors, cooperating means on said doors andshafts for moving said shafts into and'out of en .gagement with said doors when the shafts are rotated, and means for operating said anism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of rotatable ,bodily movable shafts for raising and supporting said doors, means for rotating said shafts simultaneously in the door opening direction, means for rotating said shafts nausea? simultaneously in the door closing direction,

and means connected with said doors for moving said shafts bodily.

19. In a car, the combination with discharge doors hinged near the longitudinal centerline of the car, of rotatable shafts at the sides of the car for operating said doors,

\ said shafts being movable in a direction toward the longitudinal centerline of the car 1@ into the path of said doors to support them,

and movable in the opposite direction out of the path of said doors to release them, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously.

20. In a car, the combination with-discharge doors hinged on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of the car, of door operating shafts arranged near the sides of the car adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said door operating shafts, and means for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

21. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with discharge doors, of a lurality of shafts for raising so and supportlng said doors, means on said shafts adapted to engage said doors for moving said shafts into and out of engagement with said doors, and meansfor rotating said shafts simultaneously.

' 22. In a car, the combination with discharge doors hinged near the longitudinal centerline of the car, of a plurality of shafts for operating said doors, said shafts being arranged at the sides of the car to be moved 40 into and out of engagement "with the adjacent doors, and means for operating both of said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising a rotatable member having connections therefrom to said shafts, and means for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

23. In a car, the combination with discharge doors hinged near the longitudinal centerline of the car, of rotatable shafts at opposite sidesof the car for operating said doors, said shafts being movable into and out of engagement with said doors, and

means for rotating said shafts, saidmeans comprising an operating shaft, flexible con nections from said operating shaft to said rotatable shafts, and means for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

24. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of door raising shafts movable into and out of engagement with said doors, an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to 66 id, door raising shafts for rotating sald shafts, and means between said connections and shafts for automatically adjusting the effective length of said connections.

25. In a car, the combination with discharge doors, of bodily movable shafts 70 adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprlsing an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said bodily movable shafts, and means between said shafts and connections for automatically adjusting the effective length of said connections.

. 26. In a car, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of shafts for raising and supporting said doors,

an operating shaft, a plurality of drums on each of said shafts, and connections from the drums on said operatingshaft to the drums on said door raising and supporting shafts, one of the drums on each of said shafts being adapted to automatically adjust the effective length of one of said connections.

27. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of rotatable shafts for operating said doors, means between said shafts and doors for moving said 5 shafts into and out of engagement with said doors, an operating shaft, connections from said operating shaft to said door raising shafts for rotating said shafts, and'means between said connections and shafts for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

28. In a discharge door operating mechanism, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of rotatable and bodily movable shafts for operating said doors, an operating shaft, a drum on said operating shaft, connections from said drum to said bodily movable shafts for rotating said shafts simultaneously in the door closing directions, drums on said bodily movable shafts, and connections from said drums to the operating shaft for rotating said bodily movable shafts in the door opening directions, said drums being adapted toladjust the effective lengths of said connections.

29. In a car, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of a plurality of bodily movable shafts for raising and supporting said doors, an-operating shaft, a plurality of drums on each of said shafts, flexible connections from one of the drums on said operating shaft to one of the drums on each of said bodily movable shafts for rotating said shafts simultaneously in the door opening direction, flexible connections from the other of said drums on said operating shaft to the other of said drums on each of said bodily movable shafts for rotating said bodily movable shafts simultaneously 130 in the door closing direction, said drums being proportioned to automatically adjust the effective lengths of said connections when the operating shaft is rotated.

30. In a dumping car, the combination.

with a plurality of discharge doors of a plurality of shafts, flexible connections from said shafts to said doors for operating said doors, said shafts being movable inwardly to a position under the doors by said connections and outwardly to a position from under the doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously.

31. In a dumping car, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors of shafts at opposite sides of the car, flexible connections from said shafts to said doors, said shafts being movable inwardly to a supporting position under the door by said connections and outwardly to a non-supporting position from under the door,'and means for operating said shafts simultaneously.

32. In a dumping car, the combination with a plurality of discharge doors, of shafts at opposite sides of the car adapted to be moved inwardly under the door into engagement therewith and outwardly from under said door out of engagement with said doors, and means for operating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising a'rotatable member, connections from said member to said shafts, and means for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections.

33. In a dump car, a plurality of discharge doors, bodily movable door operating shafts, an operating shaft for said door operating shafts, means for moving said door operating shafts bodi1y,a drum on each of said door operating shafts, flexible connections from said drums to said operating shaft for rotating said shafts in the door opening directions, said drums being adapted to adjust the effective lengths of said connections as said operating shafts are moved bodily.

34. In a dump car, a plurality of discharge doors, rotatable door operating shafts adapted to be moved in directions toward each other when the doors are being closed and in a direction away from each other when the doors are bein opened, an operating,shaft, connections 'rom said operating shaft to said door operating shafts for rotating said door operating shafts, and means between said shafts and connections for adjustin'g the eflective lengths of said connections as the door operating shafts move.

operating shafts adapted to rotate said door operating shafts in opposite directions, and means for automatically adjusting the effective lengths of said connections when said door operating shafts are moved bodily.

' 36. In a dump car, a plurality of discharge doors, a plurality of bodily movable nections from said operating shaft to said.

door operating shafts for rotating the same, and means between said door operating shafts and connections for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections when said shafts are rotated and moved bodily.

38. In a dump car, a plurality of discharge doors, rotatable and bodily movable door operating shafts, flexible connections from said shafts to said doors adapted to cause said shafts to move toward door supporting positions when the doors are being closed and means for rotating said shafts simultaneously, said means comprising an operating shaft, connections from operating shaft to said door operating shafts, and means for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections when said shafts are moved into door supporting positions.

39. In adump car, a plurality of discharge doors, door operating shafts, means between said shafts and doors for moving said shafts bodily, an operating shaft, coninections between said operating shaft and said door operating shafts for rotating said shafts in the door closing direction, connections between said operating shaft and said door operating shafts for rotating said shafts in the door opening direction, means between the first mentioned connections and operating shaft for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections when said shafts are moved bodily, and means between the second mentioned connections and door operating shafts for adjusting the effective lengths of said connections when the door operating shafts are moved bodily.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN F. STREIB.

Witnesses:

HARRY W. CARBAUGH, J.J. CLARKE. 

